Austin Smotherman won the Bermuda Championship
Austin Smotherman won the Bermuda Championship, claiming his second career victory on the PGA Tour. The 32-year-old American defeated Ireland’s Seamus Power on the third playoff hole, at the end of a tournament heavily impacted by inclement weather.
For Smotherman, this is his second win in just a few weeks, following his victory in Utah in early October. The victory came when the two contenders faced off in a playoff, which was made necessary by the organizers’ decision to cancel the fourth and final round.
Weather conditions had in fact prevented the final round from taking place as scheduled on Sunday, and given the unfavorable forecast for Monday as well, the decision was made to award the title through a playoff between the players tied for the lead after 54 holes.
Smotherman had completed the first three rounds in 197 strokes (65, 66, 66), for a total of 16 under par—the same score achieved by Power, the 2022 tournament champion, thanks to three rounds of 66, 64, and 67 strokes.
The playoff began on the 16th hole of the Port Royal Golf Course, a par-3 where Power squandered a good chance to win by missing a putt from about six meters. The Irishman then managed to extend the match with a recovery shot from the bunker, taking the contest to the third extra hole.
After the flag was repositioned, Smotherman parred the hole with two putts from about four and a half meters, capitalizing on his opponent’s mistake, who failed to save par after ending up in the rough.
“We’re here playing an incredible sport in a wonderful place,” commented the winner, who was also pleased with how he handled a week that was particularly challenging from a weather standpoint.
Second place is nonetheless a valuable result for Seamus Power, who, thanks to this finish, has virtually secured his card to compete on the PGA Tour in 2027. The 39-year-old Irishman, who has been competing this season with conditional status, is expected to jump from 103rd to 53rd in the FedEx Cup fall standings. The top 100 players will retain their right to compete on the tour next season.
